DOUBLE Olympic finalist Jemma Lowe has welcomed British Swimming’s decision to save Swansea’s status as one of its four Intensive Training Centres (ITC).

Following a review linked to performance outcomes from each of the centres since they opened in 2008. ITCs at University of Bath, Loughborough University, Stirling and Swansea will continue to operate but investment in Stockport will not be renewed.

Swansea does face certain reductions, having alongside Stirling, only been contracted until the end of 2013 with plans tabled for the Olympians and Paralympians at the pool to combine into an ‘integrated solution.’

But Lowe, who reached butterfly finals in Beijing in 2008 and London four years later, insists life has not changed for her at the Swansea pool where she trains under coach Bud McAllister.

“It is great news for me,” said Lowe.

“I really enjoy the programme in Swansea and it is good I still get to use the facilities.

“We had felt a little bit lost with us not being sure what was going to happen. We just had to concentrate on what we could do and what we could control.

“Now we have had some information there has some weight been lifted off our shoulders.

“Things will stay the same for me and I have not noticed any changes at all.

“I still have all the support I need and all the facilities are still here.”

The reduction was a result of a loss £3.5m in funding for British Swimming from UK Sport after a disappointing Olympic medal haul last year.

Lowe was one of the British swimmers who reached an Olympic final where she had to be content with a sixth place finish in the 200m butterfly.

“I had mixed emotions in London because while I was happy with reaching the final, I was disappointed to finish sixth because my personal best would have been good enough for a bronze medal,” said Lowe.

“I found it hard to accept I did not fulfil my potential and I feel as if I have more to come and that is why I am still carrying on.

“The rest of the team was quite young at the Olympics and we have a lot of talented swimmers coming through and I am looking forward to seeing them develop.”

Lowe is currently training for the 2013 competitive season, which will start at the British Gas International meeting between March 7-11 in Leeds.

Despite the high-profile retirements since London 2012, including Rebecca Adlington, Lowe has vowed to carry on competing.

The year following the Olympics is always the most difficult for sports stars but Lowe has the World Championships to focus on in Barcelona in July.

And the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist has already shrugged off any Olympics hangover by winning two bronze medals in the World short course championships last December in Istanbul.

“The year after the Olympics is always difficult especially with it being a home Games because there was a massive build-up to it,” said Lowe.

“I have found it quite hard to be as motivated as I have been before but I still have goals I want to achieve and I have to focus on.

“Hopefully I can keep on improving and competing against the best of the world.

“I am one of the more experienced swimmers now in the British squad and it is funny because I have always felt like one of the youngest on the team.

“When I went to the World short course championship in December I asked one of the younger swimmers whether he saw me as one of the older ones in the squad.

“He said definitely and I was gutted initially because I did not feel as if I am old!”

“It was quite a weird feeling but I also know now I can also share my experiences.”

Lowe will compete in Leeds, just an hour from her native Hartlepool, in the British Gas International meeting between March 7-10.

The top British swimmers know this competition they won’t have to worry about reaching their peak to qualify for the World Championships.

British Swimming have changed their policy and decided the trials will now be held in Sheffield in June rather than the traditional March.

“It will be different to what I have been doing over the last nine years,” added Lowe, who represents Wales because of her Dad who hails from Cardiff.

“It feels strange not having the Trials in March and not having to be swimming at your fastest at this point of the year.

“It is more a case of preparing for the Trials in June. I will still have to swim fast in Leeds but it is going to be more of a practice competition.

“But it will be exciting because it is an international meeting where some of the best of the world might be there.

“And it will be close to all of my family and friends who can come and watch.”

But one swimmer who definitely won’t be representing Great Britain again is Lowe’s former team-mate Ellen Gandy, who has switched her allegiance to Australia after London 2012.

“I have swum with Ellen through my whole career,” said Lowe.

“She moved to Australia in 2007 while still representing Great Britain so I did not see her as much as I used to.

“But it will be most different now when we go to different competitions because we are good friends and we used to hang out a lot.

“I can’t really imagine seeing her in the yellow and green outfits.

“We will still be in the call room together before races but not through the preparations and holding camps.

“That will be weird.”

Jemma Lowe is a member of the British Gas GBR Swimming Team. This spring British Gas is launching SwimBritain, a campaign to create a healthier nation and get more people swimming regularly by 2015. Visit www.facebook.com/BGSwimming